“It is unfortunate that Republicans decided to cut and run rather than finish the job that voters sent them to Washington to do. Republicans spent the year being as autocratic and authoritarian as they could, but they still couldn’t get the people’s work done on time.

“Republicans bragged that their control of the executive and legislative branches would ensure that the trains would run on time. Instead, this Republican run government failed to fulfill the most basic responsibility of passing the thirteen appropriations bills that fund the government. Why does this matter? As the Republican Senator Ted Stevens pointed out on the Senate Floor, the failure to complete the appropriations process means that Americans will suffer.

“This time Republicans cannot trot out their tired finger-pointing. With control of the House, the Senate, and 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, they have only themselves to blame.

“While Republicans ignore the 130 million Americans represented by Democrats, they can’t even agree among themselves. So they decided to cut and run, instead of governing. Unfortunately, this is simply the latest demonstration of Republicans shortchanging the American people.”